164 Practical Forestry 



that limbs are secure and not likely to cause injury to 

 visitors ; while in the case of heavy branches hanging over 

 dwelling-houses these should be carefully and periodically 

 examined and made secure whenever it is found necessary. 

 Should there be any doubt as to whether a limb is insecure 

 and dangerous, a decision should be made in favour of 

 bracing or reducing the weight by pruning. 



Unwieldy and heavy limbs are most commonly to be 

 found on isolated trees, or such as have had plenty of room 

 for the perfect development of stem and branch. As the 

 loss of one or more of the larger branches often mars the 

 ornamental appearance of a specimen tree, every reasonable 

 means should be employed to prevent such a disfigurement. 

 By reducing the weight of a branch by pruning, or by 

 giving support to any that are heavy and diseased by means 

 of wires, chains or light iron bands and connecting rods, the 

 trouble may be averted. In all cases the object should be 

 to unite the branches in such a way that they may offer 

 the greatest amount of resistance to the storm, and at the 

 same time be neither conspicuous nor clumsy in appearance 

 owing to the operation. 



Chains, though often used, probably owing to their 

 being readily obtainable and cheap, are for various reasons 

 to be avoided, the flat iron band lined with leather or rubber 

 being preferable, more readily adjusted, and less likely to 

 cut into the bark and wood. The bands, which can be 

 made by any blacksmith, are usually 2J in. wide, and of 

 the shape of the branch to be encircled, each being in two 

 parts to facilitate fixing and to allow of slackening at any 

 future time should the necessity arise. The band is made 

 of a larger size than the branch to be encircled, so as to 

 allow of the insertion of a leather or rubber collar between 

 it and the wood, the purpose of the packing being to prevent 

 undue friction and chafing of the bark owing to the move- 

 ment of the tree. The bands, whether placed around two 

 opposite branches or the main stem and a branch, are 

 connected together by a light iron rod and, according to 

 the strain, may be from one-half to three-quarters of an inch 

 in diameter. This rod, like the bands, is divided into two 



